USDA MyPlate Nutrition Information for Infants (2024)

FAQs

What are the nutritional requirements for infants? ›

An infant needs about 40-50 calories per pound of body weight per day. How often an infant wants to eat will also change over time due to growth spurts, which typically occur at about two weeks and six weeks of age, and again at about three months and six months of age.

Your baby's diet should consist of a variety of the following: fruit and vegetables, including ones with bitter flavours, such as broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and cabbage. potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy foods. beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other non-dairy sources of protein.

Your child can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months old. By the time he or she is 7 or 8 months old, your child can eat a variety of foods from different food groups. These foods include infant cereals, meat or other proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, yogurts and cheeses, and more.

Another way to generalize caloric need is that an infant needs 100cal/kg/day, ages 1 to 3 years need 80 kcal/kg/day, 4 to 5 years needs 70kcal/kg/day, 6 to 8 years needs 60 to 65 kcal/kg/day and 9+ needs 35 to 45 kcal/kg/day. Growth charts are vital in directing nutritional counseling in children.

Foods need to be rich in energy and nutrients. In addition to grains and potatoes, be sure your baby has vegetables and fruits, legumes and seeds, a little energy-rich oil or fat, and – especially – animal foods (dairy, eggs, meat, fish and poultry) every day.

Breastmilk is best for your baby. It is beneficial even if you breastfeed for only a short amount of time, or part-time. Cow's milk-based infant formula with iron should be offered as the first choice of formula if you do not breastfeed.

Breast milk or formula: This is still the most important source of nourishment for your baby. Solid food: Start introducing mashed or pureed solid food when your baby is developmentally ready, usually sometime between 4 and 6 months. Begin to add lumpy and soft finger foods between 6-8 months.

Correct feeding in the first three years of life is particularly important due to its role in lowering morbidity and mortality, reducing the risk of chronic disease throughout their life span, and promoting regular mental and physical development.

By the end of the first month, most babies consume at least 3 or 4 ounces per feeding, about every 3 to 4 hours. By 6 months old, they may take in 6 to 8 ounces at each of 4 or 5 feedings in 24 hours. Also at about 6 months old, solid foods should start to be added to a baby's diet.

Who infant feeding guidelines? ›

increase the number of times that the child is fed: 2–3 meals per day for infants 6–8 months of age and 3–4 meals per day for infants 9–23 months of age, with 1–2 additional snacks as required; use fortified complementary foods or vitamin-mineral supplements as needed; and.

Breastmilk or formula has all the nutrients that babies need until they are about 6 months old. From around the age of 6 months, babies and toddlers need different nutrients such as fibre, vitamins and minerals that are found in a range of foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, meat and meat alternatives.

Young children need protein and iron to grow and develop. Try to give your toddler 1 or 2 portions from this group (beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins) each day. Children under 16 should avoid eating shark, marlin and swordfish. Advice to reduce fat intake does not apply to children under age 2 years.

Toddlers need less food because they don't grow as fast. They are far more active than infants so it is recommended that they consume between 1,000 and 1,200 calories a day, depending on their age, size, and physical activity level. Most toddlers are considered active.

Infancy is a period of rapid growth second only to the fetal period. There is a pressing need to optimize nutrition to ensure adequate growth and organ development.

In reality, a baby's needs (at least at first) are relatively simple: milk, a safe place to sleep, nappies, clothes and, of course, love. Let's look at these basic needs in more detail.